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Barbara Tomenson, Cecilia Essau, Frank Jacobi, Karl Heinz Ladwig, Kari Ann Leiknes, Roselind Lieb, Gunther Meinlschmidt, John McBeth, Judith Rosmalen, Winfried Rief, Athula Sumathipala and Francis Creed
British Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 203, Issue 5, Pages 373 – 380
https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.112.114405
Background
The diagnosis of somatisation disorder in DSM-IV was based on ‘medically unexplained’ symptoms, which is unsatisfactory.
Aims
To determine the value of a total somatic symptom score as a predictor of health status and healthcare use after adjustment for anxiety, depression and general medical illness.
Method
Data from nine population-based studies (total n = 28377) were analysed.
Results
In all cross-sectional analyses total somatic symptom score was associated with health status and healthcare use after adjustment for confounders. In two prospective studies total somatic symptom score predicted subsequent health status. This association appeared stronger than that for medically unexplained symptoms.
Conclusions
Total somatic symptom score provides a predictor of health status and healthcare use over and above the effects of anxiety, depression and general medical illnesses.